


Gift Exchange

by Junker



Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-26
Updated: 2017-12-26
Packaged: 2019-02-21 21:56:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13152816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Junker/pseuds/Junker
Summary: Zaeed snoops at his gift early. When he becomes overwhelmed with wondering what Shepard really thinks of him, he tries to get a more sexual gift out of Shepard. They ultimately find themselves processing their feelings for each other and what they mean.





	Gift Exchange

**Author's Note:**

> A little Christmas gift for myself and to the wonderful Male Shepard/Zaeed shippers!! You are the best.

Zaeed had an impossible decision ahead of him. He clenched and unclenched his fists as he looked towards the doorway and then back towards the living room. Shepard hummed in the shower, and Shepard’s present for Zaeed sat neatly under a small Christmas sat on top of the coffee table. Did he fuck his boyfriend in the shower, or did he secretly open his present? Steam curled out from under the bathroom door. The lights twinkled on the Christmas tree. Zaeed’s mind whirled as he tried to make a decision.

“Oh fuck it,” Zaeed said.

He stepped down into the living area and pulled a knife out of his boot. He kneeled on the floor in front of the Christmas tree and gently pulled his gift box away from it. The wrapping was pristine; each corner was crisp and the sides were folded perfectly. His tongue slightly pressed out the corner of his mouth as Zaeed gently lifted the tape off of one side with his knife. His years of mercenary work had trained him perfectly for this infiltration task. He knew just how much pressure to use so the thin paper wouldn’t tear under the pressure.

A brown box sat underneath the paper, and he exhaled as he realized he unwrapped the side with the opening. He always had been lucky. He opened the box and saw two items nestled into green tissue paper.

A box of hair dye that boldly advertised, “Covers up 100% of Grey Hairs” and a small bottle of erectile dysfunction medication.

“What the fuck,” Zaeed said, looking at the two items.

Frustration knitted through him and tightened. Zaeed carried the gifts with him as he stormed into the bathroom. He nearly yelled, “Is this some kind of joke, Shepard?”

Shepard, originally startled, turned around in the shower. A slow smile spread across his face.

Heat rushed to Zaeed’s cheeks. Zaeed said, “Of course it’s a joke. God damn it, Shepard.”

Grinning, Shepard started to step out of the shower and Zaeed threw the hair dye at him. He put the ED medication into the cabinet behind the mirror. “You’re a real asshole,” Zaeed said.

Shepard wrapped a towel around his waist. “You’re the one snooping through your gifts.”

“You could have put a stuffed animal in there,” Zaeed said. “Didn’t have to throw such a low blow.”

“You were the one that mentioned picking up the medication on Omega.”

“Yeah, but you didn’t have to throw it in with hair dye. And aren’t we opening these with the rest of the squad? It’s embarrassing Shepard.”

Shepard laughed softly and wrapped his arms around Zaeed from behind. “I was going to switch out the gift before we did the exchange, I swear,” he said. “I thought you’d snoop and I wasn’t wrong.”

Zaeed huffed. His ego was bruised and he was embarrassed at how badly he reacted to the joke. It was rare when he needed the medication and they didn’t make too many stops at outposts that would carry it. He just wanted it around on the off-chance he needed it when they were isolated.

Shepard kissed his cheek and squeezed him. “Hey, I’m sorry I was thoughtless.”

Zaeed offered Shepard a half-smile and looked at them in the mirror. His smiled faded. Shepard wasn’t glaringly young, but his rebirth through Cerberus made Shepard smooth and fresh, whereas Zaeed thought that whatever wasn’t scarred on his face was wrinkled. Maybe he’d never been handsome, but he was definitely ugly now. If Shepard wasn’t desperate and lonely, he’d never have given Zaeed the time of day.

Shepard repeated, “I’m sorry. I didn’t think it through.”

“No, no,” Zaeed said, gently pulling away from him. “It’s just dumb shit rattling around in my head. It would have been a good joke if I wasn’t a short-tempered asshole.”

“A fluffy stuffed rabbit would have been funnier.”

Zaeed chuckled and tried to imagine it. He probably would have liked it. Another trophy to add to his collection - the time he was partners with Commander Shepard. “Yeah,” Zaeed said as he walked out of the bathroom.

Shepard followed him despite the water pooling around his feet. “What can I do to fix this?” Shepard asked.

“What? There’s nothing to fix,” Zaeed said. It bothered him more that Shepard was so aware of how hurt he was. For once, he wasn’t sure what his next move was. He couldn’t think of a joke or a quip to lighten himself up, and Shepard was too god damn concerned to help him brush it off. Zaeed continued, “Like I said, it’s just me and my dumb shit. Don’t worry about it.”

Shepard softened and said, “I want to help.”

Zaeed straightened up to look more confident - more sure of himself. He put his hands on either side of Shepard’s hips and drew him closer. He’d be who Shepard needed him to be. He just needed to swallow this god damn embarrassment. He said, “You could give me a Christmas present early.”

 

Shepard smiled and lightly touched Zaeed’s chest. “You want your whiskey already?”

Zaeed was a little taken aback and said, “I meant - did you get me whiskey for present?” 

Shepard’s smile grew so he showed a bit of teeth. 

Zaeed shook his head. “You’re fucking with me.”

“I know you mean sex, Massani,” Shepard said, pushing Zaeed towards the bed. “What do you feel like?”

Zaeed walked backwards until he hit the bed as he watched Shepard following him. Shepard was still wet and goose bumps had started to crawl across his skin. Zaeed said, “Well I know you like to ride me-”

“This is supposed to be your gift,” Shepard said, and Zaeed sat down on the bed. Shepard said, “What do you want?”

Zaeed just wanted to feel good and not think for a while. He said, “Why don’t you let me work on you? Come on.”

Zaeed leaned back onto the bed and pulled Shepard with him. Shepard laughed softly, and Zaeed repositioned Shepard so Shepard’s groin was at his face. He tossed aside Shepard’s towel and grabbed lubricant off the nightstand. There was fancier stuff in the drawers, but Zaeed couldn’t be bothered to dig around for it. Shepard started to undo Zaeed’s jeans while Zaeed pumped some lubricant into his palm. He rubbed his hands together and gave Shepard’s cock a quick stroke. He loved seeing it soft and cold like this, and he knew he’d love seeing it stiffen as he progressed.

Spreading Shepard’s ass cheeks, Zaeed slowly ran a finger between them and watched Shepard’s body arch into his touch. Zaeed sampled the skin in behind his testicles. He gave it an open kiss and a gentle suck. Shepard exhaled, and Zaeed ran his finger between his ass cheeks again as he continued to kiss and flick his tongue against Shepard’s skin. Shepard gripped Zaeed’s legs, and Zaeed’s cock pulsed in his boxer-briefs. He loved the noises Shepard made. When he pressed his finger into Shepard’s ass, he took one of Shepard’s testicles into his mouth. He curled his tongue around it and listened to Shepard’s breaths quicken.

Shepard grabbed the lubricant from Zaeed’s side and pumped it into his own palm. Zaeed slipped a second finger into Shepard’s ass and gently spread his fingers apart. Shepard fished Zaeed’s cock out of his boxer-briefs while keeping the band on his underwear against his shaft. Zaeed licked down the length of Shepard’s stiffening shaft while Shepard spread lubricant across Zaeed’s erection. Shepard jerked him off at the base of his cock and swirled his tongue around the head of his cock. Zaeed pumped his fingers into Shepard’s ass faster in response while Shepard’s shaft pressed against his face.

Shepard’s lips perfectly encircled Zaeed’s cock before drawing back to press a kiss against the head of it. Zaeed’s lips parted and he curled his fingers inside Shepard, but Shepard didn’t suck Zaeed’s cock again. Zaeed pushed Shepard’s hips back as he drew his fingers out of him. Shepard repositioned himself so he faced Zaeed, and Zaeed held his cock at its base while Shepard edged the head of Zaeed’s cock into his ass. Zaeed loved the familiar sensation and bucked up into him. Shepard rubbed Zaeed’s chest as he started to ride Zaeed.

“I love when you fuck me with your clothes on,” Shepard said as he bounced on Zaeed’s cock. “You’re so eager you can’t even spare a second to pull off your pants.”

It helped that Zaeed liked the feeling of the brief’s band against his shaft. Zaeed ran his hands up Shepard’s thighs to push him down and take more of his cock into his ass. Zaeed said, “And I can’t get enough of naked and on my dick.”

Zaeed took control of the rhythm to pound into Shepard harder, and Shepard let out a soft groan as his hands slid upwards on Zaeed’s chest to grip his shoulders. Shepard pushed down to take all of Zaeed’s cock into his ass and ground up against him. Shepard watched him as he rocked his hips on Zaeed’s cock. His ass felt so good that Zaeed wanted to flip him over and fuck him into the mattress, but he loved Shepard’s eyes burrowing into him. Zaeed knew what he looked like to Shepard - lips parted, almost groaning, and trying not to show it. He knew Shepard loved seeing it, not that he did it on purpose.

Shepard rode his cock slowly while keeping it deep inside of him. He leaned over and kissed Zaeed. He increased his pace as he parted Zaeed’s lips to kiss him deeper. Zaeed dug his fingers into his hips, desperate to pull Shepard against him, but not wanting to take over. He kissed Shepard harder, and while he considered releasing him to grab his head, Shepard broke the kiss before Zaeed could. He bit Zaeed’s lower lip, and when Zaeed tried to kiss him again, Shepard leaned away. He gripped Zaeed’s legs as he rode him faster, and Zaeed couldn’t keep his breaths steady as he watched Shepard.

He loved the sight of Shepard’s body arching as he rode him. Shepard’s lips parted and let out another soft moan. He absently rubbed his chest with one hand, and Zaeed realized it was more for his pleasure as Shepard teased his own nipple between two fingers. He loved Shepard putting on a little show for him. Shepard voice almost came out as a moan when he said, “You feel so good.”

Zaeed’s breath caught in his throat for a moment. He bucked into Shepard’s rhythm, and Shepard rode him faster. Zaeed could hardly take it. Zaeed sat up and gripped Shepard’s ass. Kissing him roughly, he started pulling Shepard into his deep thrusts. Shepard’s cock rubbed against his stomach and Shepard coiled his arms around Zaeed’s shoulders. Shepard nuzzled into him, kissing him with the same heat and nipping at him when their lips briefly parted. Shepard tried to keep riding him as Zaeed pounded into him harder while trying to keep Shepard’s ass pinned against him.

Shepard broke the kiss to groan against his mouth, and Zaeed shuddered as he started to come. He kissed Shepard’s neck as Shepard groaned. He pounded his orgasm deep into Shepard, stifling his own groans into the dip where Shepard’s shoulder and neck met. Shepard groaned his name and dug his nails into his back. Zaeed knew it would have broken skin if he hadn’t been wearing a shirt. He gripped Shepard’s oozing cock, finally jerking him off while his own orgasm finished inside of him.

Shepard messily kissed him and pushed him back into the bed as he bucked into Zaeed’s grip. He came across Zaeed’s shirt in sticky strings, and as Shepard broke the kiss to groan again, Zaeed returned to kissing his neck. Zaeed finished Shepard off with ease, and Shepard pressed back against him as he kissed him once more. Zaeed pulled his cock out of Shepard’s ass with some of his orgasm spilling onto his pants. 

Shepard loosely dropped against Zaeed and nuzzled into his neck. Zaeed always felt perfect against him, as if the merc’s hard, weathered body had been moulded to fit perfectly against him. He hugged Zaeed tightly and Zaeed slapped his ass. “We can cuddle in a sec, Shep, just let me get out of these jeans.”

Huffing, Shepard rolled off of him onto his back. He loved that he could still feel Zaeed’s orgasm in his ass. He wondered how Zaeed always knew exactly what he wanted, and he watched as the old merc pulled off his jeans and boxers. He noticed their semen on his shirt and jeans. Shepard said, “Sorry about the mess.”

Zaeed laughed. “You’re not sorry.”

Shepard tried not to smile. He did love seeing him walking around in clothes with his crusty orgasm still on them. “I do know you don’t wash your clothes a lot. I’ve seen you wearing stuff I’ve shot my load on.”

Zaeed smirked. “I try to be subtle.”

“Like the time you went to the armoury after I came on your face.”

Zaeed laughed. “Christ, I almost forgot about that. You dared me to do that.”

“I didn’t know you were so into it.”

“You are as much as I am,” Zaeed said, pulling his shirt over his head. “So there’s nothing to apologize for. I love it when you give me a little extra something to wear.”

Shepard tried to take in Zaeed’s scarred, tattooed body, but Zaeed flicked off the lights. Zaeed climbed back into bed and Shepard went under the sheets. Zaeed pulled Shepard against him and coiled his arms around him. Shepard was happy - happy they’d both gotten off and happy that Zaeed’s mood had improved. He was surprised how much his joke gift had thrown Zaeed off, and he hated that he’d made Zaeed feel like that. Zaeed nuzzled into the back of his neck and didn’t say anything. The pair fought sometimes, and he was well aware Zaeed had major flaws, but he hated that he made Zaeed feel bad about something that actually didn’t bother Shepard at all. He supposed it was different when he made a joke about Zaeed’s age and when Zaeed made the same joke about himself.

“Hey Zaeed?”

Zaeed grumbled.

“I love being with you like this.”

Zaeed laughed and said, “You mean you love me filling up your thirsty ass.”

Shepard said, “I mean, yeah I do, but I really like being with you.”

Zaeed didn’t reply. His smile faded against Shepard’s neck.

Shepard said, “I just wanted you to know.”

“Sure,” Zaeed said. “All right.”

“I mean it,” Shepard said.

“Yeah,” Zaeed said.

He didn’t want or need Zaeed to say it back, but he wanted it to sink in - he wanted Zaeed to know how much he meant to him. Zaeed usually treated their relationship like a fling, and Shepard was fine if that was all it was, but he needed Zaeed to know he cared about him. Maybe it was selfish. Maybe it was too much for Zaeed.

Zaeed didn’t say anything further and Shepard was afraid to push it. Zaeed had shown a rare moment of fragility and he was afraid of saying something that would shatter him. Shepard waited as Zaeed’s breaths grew steady. He gently pulled away from Zaeed’s grip, but Zaeed didn’t stir. He was asleep.

Shepard went to the bathroom, relieved himself, and cleaned up a bit. When he came back out, Zaeed had rolled over, but he still slept soundly. With a bit of light from the bathroom, Shepard went to look back under the Christmas tree. He looked at the box Zaeed had wrapped for him. The wrapping paper didn’t quite cover it completely, but the box had previously held an order of mods that Zaeed and Garrus had ordered a few weeks ago. The poor wrapping didn’t spoil anything.

Shepard hesitated for a moment and then carefully unwrapped it. He wasn’t sure what he wanted to find inside, but he did want to look. Inside were several upgrades for his armour that he had wanted. A note sat inside with them, and Shepard unfolded it. In Zaeed’s messy scrawl it read: “So you always come back safe. Not sure what I’d do without you. -M”

Shepard stared at the note for a moment. Zaeed had never been particularly articulate about his feelings, but it hadn’t occurred to him that Zaeed needed him as much as he needed Zaeed. He folded the note back up and tried to rewrap the gift to its previous state. Shepard struggled to wrap it in a way that still showed the box and suspected it was a trap so Zaeed would know he had snooped.

Either way, he settled when it was close enough and stayed sitting on the couch for a moment. Suddenly the whiskey bottle he’d bought didn’t seem to be enough, but he knew Zaeed would be embarrassed if he wrote him a similar note. Hell, he thought Zaeed would be embarrassed enough if Shepard read the note with other people around. He suspected Zaeed put it in on impulse.

He turned off the bathroom light and settled back into bed. He pulled Zaeed back against him and said, “Wake up.”

Zaeed cursed under his breath. “No.”

“Zaeed.”

Zaeed let out a noise in frustration and nuzzled under his head. Shepard said, “Listen, I kind of got you two shitty gifts.”

“That’s fine,” Zaeed said. “Just let me sleep.”

“I want you to know that I love you.”

Zaeed suddenly went very still against Shepard.

Shepard continued, “I’m not expecting anything in return I just - sometimes you act like I’m just using you for sex and I want you to know it’s more than that. I mean, I’m fine with it being a fling and it can end whenever you want it to, but I love you - and I’ll love you after it ends too.”

Zaeed didn’t say anything, but he was too still. Shepard knew he was awake.

Shepard said, “So that’s part of my gift, the part that I don’t think you want me to say in front of everyone.”

Zaeed sat quietly, and Shepard didn’t continue. After a few beats of silence, Zaeed said, “You bought me my brand of whiskey too, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Good,” Zaeed said. “If I’m going to be sleeping here more often, I like a few fingers before bed.”

Shepard smiled, and Zaeed nuzzled back into his chest. Zaeed said, “I’m not going to share it.”

Shepard laughed and Zaeed squeezed him. Shepard said, “I know better than to ask.”

The pair tried to sleep. Both were too excited about what tomorrow would hold for them, and neither spoke their excitement aloud. They stayed entwined as they waited for tomorrow to come.

**Author's Note:**

> • [Twitter](https://twitter.com/JunkerFics) • [Tumblr](https://junkerfics.tumblr.com/) • [Pillowfort](https://www.pillowfort.io/community/Not%20a%20Main%20Character) • 


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